RUFF READY TO ROUGH IT UP WITH SABRES

July 24, 2013 · No Comments

DON’T GET ME STARTED, together with fans, can’t wait for the very early visit of the Dallas Stars to the arena to face the Buffalo Sabres.

Why the anticipation? That’s because Darcy Regier – or Ted Black – Terry Pegula made coach Lindy Ruff the scapegoat for the poor season last year. To replace Ruff, either one or the entire trio of Sabres hierarchy selected Ron Rolston. Who? After all, Rolston was untested as a coach in the NHL before being named to the post after Lindy Ruff was dispatched.

Dallas has hired Lindy Ruff. And one of Ruff’s move (a smart one) was to name James Patrick as one of his assistant coaches. Patrick was ousted by one or the trio of bigwigs in the big offices after Ruff was gone and Rolston came in.

What did the Sabres do. Well, they already had Numminem as an assistant and then brought in Tallinder to play defense. To which I saw – as an assistant Patrick or Jay McKee would have been better choices than Numminem. But any one of the trio didn’t want Rolston saddled with Ruff favorites.

So early on, Ruff and Patrick will be facing the Sabres. How much would you bet that Ruff and Patrick will be cajoling the troops to win this game. They probably will want to show Regier – Black – Pegula that they made a big mistake in letting the pair go. I would like to be the fly on the wall in the Stars dressing room before that game.

Most every Sabres fan knows that this – and probably the next two – seasons are going to be trying ones for the blue and gold. They are going into the season with very little while the Stars have made a couple of additions.

If the Stars blow out the Sabres, I wonder what kind of glances Pegula will direct at Darcy Regier – who is in charge of the hockey department since Black said he has nothing to do with the hockey part.

Training camp isn’t that far away and the season’s start will be on us before you can say “Hello Lindy – Hello James” on Don’t Get Me started.

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